USA

The United States is a mix of a multitude of cultures and diverse races, especially as most of the population has origins in immigrants to the country hundreds of years ago. German, Irish, English, Dutch, Scottish and West African settlers have mixed with Mexican, Latino, American Indian and Asian to create a very unique home.

Within this widely diverse continent, the state of Florida stands out as a property hotspot. More than 40 million tourists visit the state every year and is among the world's top tourist destinations. Property prices are fairly low, and attract those seeking a second home, a good investment, or a rentable property. With attractions like Disney World, Universal Studios and the many, many golf courses it is little wonder that Florida has become a leading tourism site, with casino central Las Vegas just behind it.

The United States of America is a consitutional federal republic made up of 50 states and a federal district. The country lies between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and is bordered by Canada to the North and Mexico to the South. The states of Alaska and Hawaii are the most unusual of the states in terms of their location, for Alaska is located Northwest of the continent with Canada and Russia either side, while Hawai is an achipego (a group of islands) located in the Mid-Pacific.

Geography:

Due to the United States' large size it boasts nearly every type of climate and land terrain possible. There are coastal plains of the Atlantic Seaboard with deciduous forests and rolling hills while the Appalachian Mountains offer a stark contrast as they divide the Eastern Seaboard from the Great Lakes and the grasslands of the Midwest. Fertile prairie land of the Great Plans coasts to the West, while the Mississippi-Missouri River (the world's fourth longest river system) runs North-South through the very heart of the United States. The Rocky Mountains follows suit - also stretching North to South across the Western edge of the Great Plains. The mountains reach beyond 14, 000 feet in Colarado and make for some excellent hiking tours. To the west of the Mountains sit deserts, such as the Mojave, and the rocky Great Basin.

The climate is temperate in most areas and is:

• tropical in Hawaii and Southern Florida,
• polar in Alaska
• semi arid in the Great Plains
• desert in the South West
• Mediterranean in Coastal California, and,
• arid in the Great Basin.

The United States has 58 National Parks and regulates over 28% of the country's total land area, protecting many engangered species and their habitats using the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Government:

The federal government is composed of 3 different branches:

• Legislative: made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives, both of which form the bicameral Congress. These make federal laws, declare war, approve treaties, control the economy and can remove members of the government through a process called impeachment.
• Excecutive: composed of the President who is the commander-in-chief of the miliatary. He or she can also veto legislation before it becomes law and also appoint the Cabinet and other offiers.
• Judicial: Made up of the Supreme Court and lower federal courts. The judges are appointed by the President with Senate approval, interpret laws and can overturn them if they are deemed unconstitutional.

The House of Representatives has 435 members - each representing a congressional district for two years. Each state has two senators who are eleted at-large and serve six year terms, meaning that one third of the Senate is up for election every second year.

The President serves a four-year term and is not allowed to be elected to office more than twice. He or she is elected by an indirect electoral college system where the deciding votes are apportioned by state, not by direct vote.

The Supreme Court has nine members, all of which serve for life.

Foreign Relations:

The United States of America has great foreign relations with many countries. Nearly every country has an embassy located in Washington D.C. and in return many countries host American diplomatic missions. As a superpower, the United States as great influence on economic, political and military aspects of the world and as a result is very well connected.

Despite being previously isolationist, America took a lead role in founding the United Nations and is now also a permanent member of the Security Council and a host to the United Nations Headquarters. America also has strong ties to its neighbours through the Organization of American States and free trade agreements, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement NAFTA) which it shares with Canada and Mexico.

.Did You Know?

• The nation was founded by 13 colonies of Great Britain. They issued the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, and proclaimed themselves as states.
• The federal convention adopted current United States Constitution on September 17th, 1787 and was ratified in 1788, making the states part of a single republic.
• The Bald Eagle has been the United States' national bird since 1782.

© Written by E.J.Clarke.